Clancy Ross Archives - www.oldtimestrongman.com

Clancy Ross

Posted on Wednesday, January 23rd, 2019 by John Wood

Clarence “Clancy” Ross on the cover of the October, 1950 issue of Muscle Power Magazine. According to the cover, Clancy was 6 feet tall, weighed 210 pounds, with a 50-inch chest, 18-inch arms, a 31-inch waist, 27-inch thighs, and could put 360 pounds overhead.

Ed Yarick

Posted on Monday, April 18th, 2016 by John Wood

In addition to running one of the most popular gyms in the land, the 6’4″ Yarick won the tall class in the “Mr. Pacific Coast” bodybuilding contest and was also the coach of the 1952 National Jr. Weightlifting Team.

Yarick’s Gym was located at 3355 Foothill Blvd. in Oakland, California and was one of the centers of the strength world on the West coast. It was also where Steve reeves got his start and the training headquarters at various times of Roy Hilligenn, John Davis, Clancy Ross, Jack Delinger, Tommy Kono and Doug Hepburn (among others).

Strength and Health, July 1947: Clancy Ross Cover

Posted on Monday, February 10th, 2014 by John Wood

The great Clancy Ross graces the cover of the July, 1947 issue of Strength and Health (Ross was the S&H photo contest winner that month). A short time later, Ross would go on to beat Steve Reeves in the 1948 Mr. USA contest.

Also found in this issue: “Secrets of Strength (part III) by Bob Hoffman, “The Super-Duper Body Building Program by Gord Venables, “Barbelles” by Pudgy Stockton, “If you Want Big Muscles and Greater Strength,” also by Hoffman, and a feature on the Screwball Gym, by Harv Easton.

Clancy Ross

Posted on Wednesday, September 26th, 2012 by John Wood

Clarence “Clancy” Ross, from Oakland, California, started weight training at 17 years of age (weighing all of 135 pounds) and built himself up into one of the greatest bodybuilders who ever lived. Ross won the 1945 AAU Mr. America title (plus the “Most Muscular” award.) He took the Pro Mr. America title the next year and Mr. USA the year after that.

Rather than focus on “pumping” exercises which was often the suggested method at the time, Ross was not afraid to lift heavy on the basic multi-joint movements such as bent-over rows, squats, deadlifts etc — and it showed. Ross appeared on the cover of over forty different bodybuilding magazines over his career.